KEL GILLIGAN'S DAREDEVIL STUNT SHOW

Author (last name first):

Buckley, Michael
Publisher,Date of Publication: 
Abrams Books for Young Readers/ September 1, 2012

Grade Level/ or Age Level:  

Kindergarten- 3rd Grade
Classification: 
Fiction 

Preschoolers everywhere can relate to the steely bravery, sheer willpower and steady determination it often takes to overcome the staggering obstacles a day can bring. Kel Gilligan is "the boy without fear." He can do remarkable things all by himself: eat broccoli, face "the Potty of Doom," get dressed, keep busy while Mom "finishes her conversation… / UNINTERRUPTED!!," take "a bath with one helper," and "go to bed without checking the room for monsters." Word bubbles bear exaggerated declarations from Kel and equally hilarious reactions from Kel's relatives. Grandma always claps, while the others exclaim in awed disbelief when the stunt is accomplished. Santat depicts these extraordinary feats with illustrations that have a retro comic-book look. Kel is portrayed frequently with an expressive forehead. He talks rough and looks even tougher…except when his nerves are tested. Whether he is in underpants, in his caped stuntman outfit or bare-bottomed, young readers cannot help but laugh out loud at the side-splitting details of Kel's silly adventures because they attempt them daily and know them all too well. There is an AR test available for this book as well. 

Reviewed By: Lila Davis (Night Circulation Manager in Midwestern State University's Moffett Library)